Solar Energy at Urban Scale (PDF)

Increasing urbanization throughout the world, the depletion of
fossil fuels and concerns about global warming have transformed the
city into a physical problem of prime importance. This book
proposes a multi-disciplinary and systematic approach concerning
specialities as different as meteorology, geography, architecture
and urban engineering systems, all surrounding the essential
problem of solar radiation.

It collects the points of view of 18 specialists from around the
world on the interaction between solar energy and constructions,
combining territorial, urban and architectural scales to better
regulate energetic efficiency and light comfort for the sustainable
city.

The main subjects covered are: measures and models of solar
irradiance (satellite observations, territorial and urban ground
measurements, sky models, satellite data and urban mock-up),
radiative contribution to the urban climate (local heat balance,
radiative-aerodynamics coupling, evapotranspiration, Urban Heat
Island), light and heat modeling (climate-based daylight modeling,
geometrical models of the city, solar radiation modeling for urban
environments, thermal simulation methods and algorithms) and urban
planning, with special considerations for solar potential, solar
impact and daylight rights in the temperate, northern and tropical
climates, and the requirement of urban solar regulation.

Contents

1. The Odyssey of Remote Sensing from Space: Half a Century of
Satellites for Earth Observations, Théo Pirard.

2. Territorial and Urban Measurements, Marius Paulescu and Viorel
Badescu.

3. Sky Luminance Models, Matej Kobav and Grega Bizjak.

4. Satellite Images Applied to Surface Solar Radiation Estimation,
Bella Espinar and Philippe Blanc.

5. Worldwide Aspects of Solar Radiation Impact, Benoit
Beckers.

6. Local Energy Balance, Pierre Kastendeuch.

7. Evapotranspiration, Marjorie Musy.

8. Multiscale Daylight Modeling for Urban Environments, John
Mardaljevic and George Janes.

9. Geometrical Models of the City, Daniel G. Aliaga.

10. Radiative Simulation Methods, Pierre Beckers and Benoit
Beckers.

11. Radiation Modeling Using the Finite Element Method, Tom van
Eekelen.

12. Dense Cities in the Tropical Zone, Edward Ng.

13. Dense Cities in Temperate Climates: Solar and Daylight Rights,
Guedi Capeluto.

14. Solar Potential and Solar Impact, Frédéric Monette
and Benoit Beckers.

Appendix 1. Table of Europe's Platforms (Micro- and
Minisatellites) for Earth Observations, Théo Pirard.

Appendix 2. Commercial Operators of Earth Observation (EO)
Satellites (as of January 1, 2012), Théo Pirard.

Appendix 3. Earth's Annual Global Mean Energy Budget, Benoit
Beckers.